New York, Aug. 19 (SANA) About 97% of agricultural land in the Gaza Strip has been damaged by Israeli occupation attacks, while only 3% remains accessible for farming, according to a new UN geospatial assessment.
The assessment, conducted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Satellite Centre, found that accessible agricultural land had declined by more than a quarter compared with an assessment in October 2025.
FAO said the decline reflected growing restrictions on farmers’ access to their land, particularly with the expansion of the so-called “Yellow Line,” which isolates about 55% of the Gaza Strip and places it under direct Israeli control, according to a statement carried by UN News on Tuesday.
The assessment also found a decline in greenhouse areas available for cultivation, with Deir al-Balah recording the largest decrease.
Rein Paulsen, director of FAO’s Office of Emergencies, said the findings showed continued deterioration in Gaza’s agricultural sector, with reduced access to farmland limiting food production even in areas where agricultural assets remain intact.
FAO said restrictions on the entry and distribution of essential agricultural supplies were hampering recovery, with severe shortages of seeds, fertilizers, irrigation equipment, fuel and other production materials.
Livestock farmers are also struggling to obtain animal feed, veterinary supplies and animal health services, while available agricultural inputs are often of poor quality and too expensive for farming households, the agency said.
FAO calls for urgent action
FAO called for urgent and sustained measures to restore agricultural production, including safe access for farmers to their land, the entry of essential agricultural supplies and rehabilitation of damaged farmland.
Gaza’s agricultural sector has suffered extensive damage during Israeli military operations, including the destruction of farmland, greenhouses, water wells and irrigation networks, sharply reducing food production and affecting the livelihoods of farming families.
T.S /ABD
